Animal Crossing New Leaf: Sable X Mayor X Labelle
by Survivian
Summary: A romance story focusing mainly on the mayor of the town of Anthrin, Ross, and his interactions with Sable and Labelle. Sable is starting to learn to love again and Labelle has no clue how to act around Ross. Mabel just sits back and watches the whole thing unfold.
1. Chapter 1

Sable X Mayor X Labelle Chapter: 1

-This story follows the events of Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Ross, a human from out of town, unexpectedly becomes the new mayor of the town of Anthrin. His new secretary, Isabelle, has advised him to take a tour around the town in which he met the various anthropomorphic animal townspeople and went through the small yet expandable shops on Main Street. Ross enters the clothing store known to all as Able Sisters.-

Ross opens the door and it rings a bell. "Welcome to Able Sisters!" Ross looks up and sees a blue hedgehog-like person with large orange cheeks and a green and white plaid apron. "Oh! I haven't seen you around here before. Are you the new mayor everyone has been buzzing about?"

Ross nodded and scratched the back of his head in an unsure way. "Well, this is my first time in town also, but now I'm a mayor."

"Oh. I'm sorry for the unnecessary burden that has been placed on you," said the apologetic hedgehog. "By the way, my name is Mabel!"

"Ross. I would prefer if you wouldn't call me mayor for now. I'm still trying to process all of what happened."

Mabel just chuckled at the expense of Ross. "Well Ross, here at Able Sisters, we sell all sorts of clothing items from dresses to shirts to skirts to pants!"

Ross stood and looked at the large variety of different patterns and clothing. He noticed some blank spots on the display shelves as well. "What are these for?"

"Well every so often, someone comes into the store with a design of their own. If you already have a design made, we can make it into a reality." As Mabel said "reality" she motioned her right hand in a rainbow arc.

"That's pretty neat. Who makes the clothes, though?"

"Well, that would be my wonderful seamstress sister, Sable!" gesturing towards a brown hedgehog with a slight height advantage over Mabel as well as longer hair spikes and a face with a generous amount of freckles wearing a pink and white plaid apron. Currently at work on a design with a frog on it.

"Oh. Well by the looks of it, she has some really nice handiwork." Sable's ears twitched slightly when Ross made this comment, but she didn't stop sewing.

"Doesn't she? Anyways we have a whole other section of the store to go over." Mabel grabbed Ross' hand and brought him through the door to the right of the clothing department. "This here is our accessory outlet. We have hats, glasses, fake beards, and even masks! The umbrellas seen here can also be purchased in the clothing department."

"Welcome to Able Sisters accessories." The voice that made this half-hearted greeting was by a midnight purple colored hedgehog with a slighter than slight height advantage over Mabel, but visibly shorter hair spikes which looked cut. Her attire consisted of a long sleeve white shirt underneath a black business skirt and around her neck was an orange plaid ascot. Her blue eye shadow and mascara stuck out as being different from the other hedgehogs considering the other two didn't use makeup.

"That's our other sister, Label," Mabel said this with a hint of joking in her voice.

"It's Labelle. I changed it, remember?" She seemed annoyed by Mabel's comment.

"It's not legally changed yet. You just call yourself that after that giraffe lady got you into the world of fashion. Until then, you're always going to be 'Label'." Mabel finished with a winner's smirk.

"Does Sable make these too?" Ross inquired.

"Oh heavens no!" Labelle interjected. "We import these from different designers with good taste and sell them for anyone who wishes to change their style."

"We buy them then sell them again," whispered Mabel into Ross' ear.

"Regardless, who is this person, Mabel?" Labelle wanted to know this question since Ross came in.

"This is our new mayor, Ross." As Mabel said 'mayor' she covered Ross' ears to protect his sanity.

"New mayor? So he's the one everyone was waiting to see." Labelle had a look of intrigue with a tone of disinterest. This seemed to slightly annoy Ross. "Anyways, will you be buying anything today?"

"Maybe tomorrow. Today was a tour day and I apparently still have some 'mayoral' duties at town hall to do." Ross seemed drained when he said 'mayoral' but continued. "I also need a house first so..."

"I understand. You have a good day, Mayor," Labelle said in a flatlined tone.

Ross exited out the door that leads straight into the accessories part of the shop and continued down Main Street.

"So... your thoughts on the new mayor?" Mabel had a mock innocence tone to her voice when she said this.

"That 12-ball shirt was not doing him any favors. He shouldn't be wearing shorts in this weather. He's wasn't even wearing a hat. That and-" Labelle glanced at Mabel who had a grin that said 'Oh. I see.' "What?"

"Oh, nothing. It's funny how you're being so nit picky with him."

"It's his style that gets to me. All he needs is to change his wardrobe a tad and-"

"You might actually have a crush on him?" Labelle's ears perked up when she heard this. Following this reaction, she equipped herself with a stony face.

"Just go back to work. I don't want my little sister to impede my productivity." Labelle gestured toward the door leading to the clothing department while glaring at Mabel.

"Yeah, yeah." Mabel left the accessories side and went back to the clothing store. "Sable! Sable!"

"Hm?" Sable looked up from her sewing machine for the first time that day.

"Thoughts on our new mayor?" Mabel inquired.

"When did the new mayor come in?" Sable asked completely confused.

Mabel's jaw dropped open when she heard her sister say this. "Seriously? Ross is the new mayor and the one who complimented your sewing!"

"Oh." Sable was surprised, yet her voice suggested she didn't care. "Well, I guess I'll just see him tomorrow then."

"I guess..." sighed Mabel holding the bridge of her nose.

[The next day...]

Sable woke up the next morning at 8:00 a.m. before either Mabel or Labelle could wake up. She brewed some coffee from some beans from Brewster's to perk herself up. Sable proceeded to go into the store and start sewing some more designs. About an hour before the store officially opened, Sable heard a knock on the door.

"Hello? Are you open yet?" The person asking seemed to be holding something drawn on a piece of paper. "I have a design that I wanted to put on a shirt. Hello?"

Sable looked up from her work and walked to the door. "We're closed," she stated matter-of-factly. "I'll take it at ten." She started walking away but turned around with a new question. "Weren't you here yesterday?"

"Oh. Uh, yeah I was here yesterday," the person scratched his head for no reason. "I'm Ross by the way."

"You're Ross?" Sable bowed apologetically. "I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday. I'm a bit of a work-a-holic horse."

"Funny. I could've sworn that horses don't have paws." Ross seemed proud of his terrible joke.

Sable chuckled slightly before realizing that it was cold outside and Ross only had a long-sleeved shirt and shorts. "Would you like to come inside for a bit?"

"Yes. Thank you." Ross came in and sat down in a chair he pulled next to Sable's work area. He tried making some small talk with the female hedgehog. "So you make all of these clothes?"

Sable looked back at her sewing machine and continued her preemptive tailoring. "All throughout the day I make clothes for the next day. I get up the earliest and I go to bed after everyone else. I always have a full work day."

"Wow. That sounds stressful. Do you ever have a day off?"

Sable shook her head slowly. "It's a full-time thing."

"What do you do with the clothes that don't sell?"

"We take them from off the display and turn them back into scrap materials for new designs or to recycle for later times."

This answer made Ross remember why he came to the store in the first place. "Speaking of new designs, do you think you could turn this into a shirt, long sleeves preferably?" It was a plain white shirt with text saying 'Press to EIGHT' and a button that had a bold, red number '8' on it (A/N: For those who have no clue, this is the 'EIGHT' button from The Stanley Parable). Sable was clueless as to why he had this design and sweat-dropped when she saw it.

"Um, sure?" Sable reluctantly took the design and continued working.

"Thank you, Sable!" Ross surprise hugged Sable to which she flinched by widening her eyes and straightening her back. "I'll come back later today to check up on the design! Oh, and I'll buy this jacket." He took a blue down jacket off the display and tossed 520 bells (A/N: the currency in the Animal Crossing world for those who don't know) at Sable and ran out the door with a large smile on his face.

Sable just stared forward for about 15 seconds before snapping out of her initial shock of being hugged by a guy. She then looked back at the design that Ross had made and start transferring the design onto a piece of cloth.

10:00 came around and the other two sisters woke up and by this time, Sable finished Ross' shirt.

Mabel stretched as she walked into the main store area. "*yawns* Mornin' sis! Whatcha working on?"

"This is a design someone submitted."

"When did they submit it? No one came yesterday with a design." Mabel was completely confused.

"They actually submitted this morning before we opened. I just finished it now. I'm just waiting for him to come back now."

Mabel's eyes widened when Sable said 'him.' "Who's him? Is it another admirer?"

Sable blushed slightly, but Mabel didn't notice. "No. It was Ross. He came by this morning before we opened and dropped off a design. I got to work on it so it could be ready by the time he comes around today."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad you two have such a nice relationship. I'll leave him to you then." Mabel had a smug smile when she said this.

"Mabel. It's not like that. He's just another customer. He didn't know our store hours so he came earlier than most to drop off his design. I decided to do him a favor and complete it so he didn't have to wait long." Sable was visibly distraught by what Mabel had said and even though Sable was the older sister, she felt flustered.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways when did he say that he was coming back? I know you're dying to see him again."

"He didn't say, alright. I was just going to continue working until he showed up again. He's just another customer, Mabel."

"Okay. You do that. I'm going to check on Label for a second."

"You do that." Sable continued staring and working at the sewing machine for tomorrow's line-up of clothing. The frog design from yesterday was seen on an umbrella in the middle display.

"Hey, Label. How are you holding this morning?" Once Mabel finished her question she noticed that Labelle was wearing a hat. It was a midnight blue dress hat with a frilly black lace flower on the side of it. Somehow, it didn't seem too out of place for her to wear.

"What? Do you like the hat?" Labelle held it with both of her hands and struck a flaunty little pose.

"Well I do, but why are you wearing one?"

"More publicity. If I wear some of the items we purchase from other designers, then others may feel more inclined to do as well. It's a legitimate business strategy."

"Alright then. Just... keep up the good work." Mabel genuinely questioned in her mind the absurdity of what she just saw. 'Sometimes I wonder how I ended up being the little sister...'

A little after 11:30, Ross came back to the store. He had a large grin on his face and walked right up to Sable's sewing machine. "Hey, Sable!"

Sable immediately recognized the voice of the mayor and looked up from her sewing. "Hello, Ross. I finished your shirt." She held up the 'Press to EIGHT' shirt for him to see and Ross' eyes sparkled as if he was a child looking at a shiny new toy.

"It looks great! Just how I imagined it to look." Ross reached into his pockets to pull out some bells as payment. "How much do I owe you for this?"

"I can't possibly charge the mayor for his first design. It'll be free of charge."

"Okay then." Ross cleared his throat and said in an unserious authoritative voice,"I want you to treat me, your beloved mayor, in a manner befitting any other patron of this fine establishment of tailoring."

Sable could hardly keep from laughing at what Ross just said in that voice. "Alright then, Mr. Mayor. That shirt I made will cost you 500 bells."

Ross received the shirt while also still chuckling at what just happened and tried on the shirt immediately. He had to unzip the blue down jacket he was wearing to actually see the design itself. "It's great! I really like it, Sable. Thanks."

"You're welcome. We hope to see you again soon!" This was a standard saying that Able Sisters would do when a customer leaves. Sable's saying seemed to have more enthusiasm behind it at that time, however.

Mabel, being nearby, heard the whole exchange. She swiftly approached Ross as he was leaving and after Sable's attention shifted back to her work. "What is my sister to you?"

"Huh?" Ross was completely taken by surprise by Mabel's sudden appearance and her question.

"What is my sister to you?" Mabel repeated.

"A friend, I guess?" Him only knowing Sable for a portion of two days could only say this much. "She's a bit shy, but fun to talk to. Then again, I try to talk to as many people as I can because I'm an outgoing person."

"Hmm..." Mabel eyed Ross up and down which made him slightly uncomfortable. "Alright then. I'll take your word for it." 'Then again I'm not really against them being together in the first place.'

Ross backed out the store uncomfortably. "Oh, wait. I need some glasses to complete my look." He entered into the area directly connected to the accessories shop. "Hey, Labelle."

Labelle was surprised because she was adjusting her hat in a hand mirror. "Oh! W-Welcome to Able Sisters accessories! Anything I can help you with?"

Ross was becoming increasingly weirded out. "Uh, do you have any glasses or goggles that could make me look like a lab worker?"

"Lab worker? I might have something like that. Let me check." Labelle looked through a stockpile closet that housed an assortment of headpieces to make look like anything from a casual person to a video game character. "Ah. Here are some goggles." She pulled out a pair of goggles that looked steampunk in a sense, but still not out of place in a lab setting.

"They look great. How many bells would that be?"

"1,020 bells." Ross and Labelle exchanged their wares and money, Ross being very satisfied with it. "Would you like to purchase anything else today, mayor?"

"No, I'm fine thanks." Ross noticed that Labelle was looking slightly fidgety. "You okay, Labelle?"

"N-No! I mean, I'm fine. It's no cause for concern." Labelle looked slightly away from Ross look of concern. Eventually, he dropped the topic.

"Alright then. I'll see you guys tomorrow. Don't work yourself to death or anything."

"I try not to. We hope to see you again soon!"

Ross left the Able Sisters for good this time and went about his day. "Those girls are somewhat strange, but they seem nice enough. Mabel seems to be the only one that can speak casually around me. Sable seems formal and shy, and I have no clue what is with Labelle. I guess I'll come back tomorrow and talk to them all again." 


	2. Chapter 2

Sable X Mayor X Labelle Chapter: 2

Two days have passed since Sable's first official introduction to the new mayor. She and Ross had gotten along quite well. He would come early in the morning and bring Sable a cup of coffee to get her awake and moving. After the store opens to the public, Ross would come in and browse through all of the clothes. On one day he bought a pair of navy cargo pants because he had no other bottoms. On the second day, he bought something slightly more unusual.

"A... yellow plaid print apron?" Mabel was very confused.

Ross stood with a sheepish smile. "Well, I have a good reason to get this, but I'm not at liberty to divulge that information."

"What?" Mabel raised her eyebrows even more.

"It's a secret." Ross looked disappointed that he couldn't sound cooler.

"Alright then. That will be 395 bells."

Ross took the apron and stuffed it into his seemingly endless pockets. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome. We hope to see again soon!" Ross left the store happy and content and Mabel walked back over to Sable's work area. "So, how have you two been getting along?"

Sable's head lifted away from her sewing. She was currently working on a duck design for a hoodie. "He's nice. He's fun to talk to. He's also very considerate." Sable's eyes drifted towards the ceiling. "He's like how Tom used to be."

"Wow. Is he really?" Mabel was cracking a smile.

Sable's cheeks turned a warm pink color. "Well, he probably treats everyone like that so..." She was desperately trying to mask her emotions.

"I'm sure he does. Oh! That reminds me. A new store is opening up next to us, or should I say, ON TOP of us."

"In that empty building upstairs? Really?" Sable was relieved at the change in subject.

"Yeah. It's a beauty salon called Shampoodle."

Sable slightly chuckled because the name was somewhat funny. "Who runs it?"

"No clue. The inside is still currently being constructed. We'll see once the building is finished."

"Alright then. I guess for today it's still just business as usual."

"Yep. That means back to sewing."

"Yeah, yeah. I know."

The rest of the day went by with nothing of note to add. The constant noises from upstairs were beginning to become slightly annoying, though. The next day rolled around and there was a brand new facility above The Able Sisters.

Mabel followed by Sable and Labelle went up to the door leading into Shampoodle. An electronic bell rang with the town's tune as they entered. A pink haired poodle with long ears was standing next to a salon chair. She wore a purple dress underneath a blue, white, and red apron (A/N: Think the French flag) which tied behind her in a nice large bow. "Welcome! Are you new to my salon?"

Mabel was slightly taken by surprise at the poodle's sudden interjection. "In a sense, I guess we are."

"Well then, allow me to introduce myself. My name's Harriet, and I run Shampoodle. I do everything from simple washes to complete makeovers. What're your names, sugar?"

"I'm Mabel. These are my two older sisters Sable and Labelle, and we operate The Able Sisters clothing store underneath you."

"Is that so? Well, pleased to make your acquaintance, neighbors." Harriet seemed friendly enough. Her equipment was also state-of-the-art for stylings, so she seemed to be able to do a good job. "So, you girls just checking up on me or do you want something done?"

Labelle was very eager to be the first to try out Harriet's salon. "I want my hair ends done slightly darker as well as my eye shadow a different shade of blue." Harriet sat her down in the chair and proceeded to stylize Labelle. Once Harriet was done Labelle came out looking exactly the same, but she didn't even notice. "It looks great Harriet!"

"Thanks, sugar." Labelle got up and went back down to The Able Sisters and Mabel and Sable just stared in disbelief. "I did slightly change it like she wanted, but only slightly." Harriet gave a coy little wink and Mabel and Sable lost a shred more faith in their fashion crazy sister. "Anything else I can do for you?"

"No, thank you. We just came to see our new upstairs neighbor." Mabel and Sable started making their ways to the door.

"Thanks, sugar! Nice meeting you three."

After their little introduction to Shampoodle and how it works, the sisters continued to work throughout the day. Ross, as usual, came by and bought something to wear. He bought a long-sleeved red hoodie and a pair of party shades (A/N: Those glasses that look like slightly opened window blinds). Labelle wore a lilac in her hair to try to get a couple of glances from Ross, but she ended up staring more at him than the other way around. As Ross was leaving, he stopped by Sable's area to say something. "I'm gonna come by a little earlier than usual tomorrow. I want to show you something."

Sable looked surprised as no one had ever given her anything for a long time. "Um... sure! I'd love to see what you have in mind."

"Great!" Ross clapped his hands together. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Alright. I'll see you then too." Sable went back to work with a smile on her face while Mabel just smirked.

[The next morning...]

At around 7:30 am, Ross came by the not yet opened Able Sisters and knocked on the door. Sable opened the door and saw Ross with one of his hands behind his back. His other held the coffee that Sable likes. "Hey, Sable! I told you I would come a little earlier today." He handed Sable her coffee with one cream and one sugar; her favorite mix.

"Thank you, and you did." Sable took a sip of the still hot coffee and invited Ross inside. "So, why did you show up earlier than usual?"

Ross then revealed what was in his other hand. It was the yellow plaid apron that he had bought two days prior. "I brought this with me to want to take up sewing with you as my teacher!"

Sable just stared. What was only about three seconds of silence felt like an eternity to her. She finally worked out a resounding, "What?"

"I want..." Ross was tying the apron around him. "You to teach me..." He was finishing the knot on the back. "How to sew."

Sable still continued to look taken aback. She had nothing to add to what he had just uttered. "But I don't-." She was tripping over her words. "I don't know how I could teach you. It's just something I've always done."

"That's not a big deal. I learn things quick." Ross picked up a stool at sat it down next to Sable. "Just start from the basics and I'll eventually get it."

"But-" Sable tried to protest, but Ross seemed so excited that she couldn't help but sigh and smile. "Alright well. First, we're going to work with a needle and thread." She took out a spool if thread and a needle. She also took some unused fabrics and stacked them next to her and Ross. "Since you need to learn everything, you have to thread the needle. I'll demonstrate." Sable carefully took the thread at the closest point to the tip as possible and stuck it through. "See? Simple."

She gave it over to Ross after removing the thread from the needle's eye. Ross tried several times, but with each miss, the thread's end became more and more split. "I can't do it now."

"That's fine. A good, short-term way of fixing that is licking the end back together. It'll make it stay long enough to thread."

Ross eventually made the eye and the thread meet. He seemed so happy of his accomplishment, that Sable couldn't help but giggle. They went on to start sewing with to swatches of fabric. Sable showed him how to do basic loops and Ross did it but pricked himself several times. Sable had to get him about six bandages and a metal thimble. The two continued laughing and talking until about 9:30 am. Ross deemed it a good a time as any to stop the lesson there. They both said their goodbyes and they both went back to work. Once 10:00 rolled around, the other two sisters began to start working.

Mabel came Sable's workstation because she saw the squares of fabric that were sewn together with little rhyme or reason to how it matched with each other. "So... new designs? Experimenting with which tacky patterns match with others to make then look, eh... less tacky?"

"No. Someone came in and wanted me to teach them how to sew. That was some of their needle-and-thread practice."

"Is that why you have a box of bandages on your desk?"

"They tend to prick themselves quite often. I even had to get out my thimble. I haven't needed the thing in forever." Sable just sighed and smiled at the thought of Ross wearing the thimble and still somehow pricking himself. "They're picking it up quite nicely, though."

"So who is this apprentice of yours?"

"Ross."

Mabel stood wide eyes for a second and cracked a large, almost evil looking, grin. "This doesn't sound like teacher and student here. It sounds like lover and potential lover."

Sable's entire face glowed a bright pink and she stared at the floor. Her shoulders tensed up and her speech was stuttering. "Mabel! Would you quit that?! I'm not into Ross like that!"

"Suuure you don't. Sure." Mabel went back to her post and continued working.

Sable was left at her area still steaming with embarrassment at Mabel's blunt comment. She got up from her post and walked over to the door. "I need a break." That was the last she said before exiting the store.

Sable walked upstairs to Shampoodle and entered the salon. Harriet greeted her sweetly. "Hey, sugar! What can I do for you today?"

"I just want a nice relaxing wash. I have a lot of stress I need to let out."

"No problem!" Harriet brought over a salon sink and a styling cape and proceeded to drape it over Sable and lean her head back. She used a shampoo that lathers nicely and began to make conversation. "So what's biting at you?"

Sable began her retelling of the story with a sigh. She recounts how she and Ross first were introduced, the times they've spent just talking, and the persistent annoyances, courtesy of Mabel. She then says how Ross is also now getting lessons in sewing from her. "Ross is nice, but I don't really think of him as a potential boyfriend."

"Hmm. Sounds like you got a lot weighing on your mind, sugar. Why don't you talk to Ross about this?"

"Well, I don't want him to see me as some weirdo." Sable put on a pouty face when she said this. "And besides, he probably feels the same."

"Do you know that for sure, though?"

The question really hit Sable. She mostly assumed that Ross was just being nice. "Well, not really."

"Well, why don't you see him as your potential important someone?"

"... Tom."

"Tom? You mean Tom Nook?"

"Me and him used to go way back, but ever since he became used to the city's way of life and became even greedier than usual, we've never spoken. I still have his letters and the birthday gift he sent me, but he doesn't remember a thing from then. I haven't become attached to one guy since. Then Ross came and changed everything. I feel so confused and as if I had been missing out on something and now is my chance."

Harriet kept washing, listening intently to Sable's every word. "Mm. Well, maybe you just need more time to sort everything out. As I see it, you're unconsciously trying to push him away because you don't want to end up heartbroken again. I could be wrong, but I've heard enough people's stories to pick up on some things."

Sable sighed. "I hope something resolves itself. This feeling is killing me."

After Sable's wash, she stood up feeling lighter than usual, as if a weight came off her chest. As she went for the door, Labelle rushed in and slammed into Sable. Labelle was hurt in her forehead and Sable got a bruise on the bridge of her nose. "Sis? You really have to watch where you're walking."

Sable got up holding her nose still making her way for the door. 'I could say the same to you,' she thought angrily to herself. She exited the salon and made her way back to the Able Sisters.

"Harriet."

"Yes, sugar?" Harriet seemed slightly troubled as to what she just witnessed.

"I want a new hairstyle, one that looks flirty but professional."

'That's a weird combination to ask for.' "Alright, sugar. Have a seat."

[In the Able Sisters...]

Mabel noticed Sable's nose bruise as she walked in. "What happened?"

"Our sister happened. I ran into her leaving Shampoodle."

"Ouch. You feel better, though?"

"A little, yeah."

"Oh. Ross came by while you were out. He asked where you were."

"He did?"

"Yeah. He seemed pretty disappointed when I said you were out, but he bought a flame-print shirt on his way out and a monocle."

"Alright. I'll say that I'm sorry next time I see him."

"I'm sure he'd like that." 


	3. Chapter 3

Sable X Mayor X Labelle Chapter: 3

"Now take the two ends of the fabric and overlap them together."  
Sable was giving Ross his morning sewing lesson. "Sew down the area where they both overlap..." Ross did as instructed. "...and viola! You made a seam."  
All that resulted was a sewn together cylinder of fabric. Completely useless, but good for practice.

"I get it now." Ross stared at his creation a little longer.

"Anyways, I think now is a good time to end the lesson." She took the needle, thread, and fabric and packed it away. "It's almost time for the store to open."

"Okay. It's almost time for me to check in with Isabelle as well." Ross made his way towards the door. "I'll see you later today!"

"Same time as usual?"

"Yep. Bye!" Ross began jogging towards the town hall, out of sight of the shop.

Mabel came in a little while later at 9:45 yawning but still completely awake. "Hey, sis. How'd the lesson go?" She stretched out her back.

"It's going well. He works at his own pace." She had a slight grin when she said this.

"You sounded more like a mother than a lover right then."

Sable's face became as red as a perfect apple. "M-Mabel! Why do you have to say things like that?!"

Mabel laughed. "It's just funny to see your reaction when I mention it." She wiped a yawned out tear from her eye. "Is he coming again to buy something as usual?"

Sable's face calmed down to a warm shade of pink. "As far as I know. Why?"

"No reason." Mabel stretched her arms. "He's just been our little piggy bank for so long. I wonder how long this will go for."

"That's a bit mean."

"I'm just kidding. I don't really feel that way." Mabel began walking away. "I'm going to wake up Label. I'll be right back."

She began walking over to where they slept which was right behind the shop. Labelle was still fast asleep on her futon. She had a little drop of drool on her cheek and was hugging her pillow. Her most striking feature was the hair cap she was wearing. It just stood out as odd because Mabel didn't recognize it at all. Labelle was murmuring in her sleep. "Mmm... Ross... just give me five... more minutes..." She hugged the pillow tighter. Mabel snatched the pillow from Labelle's clutches. "No Ross... don't leave yet..."

Mabel pinched the bridge of her nose and mumbled, "Hopeless..." She began gently shaking her sister awake. "Hey, Label. It's time to get up."

Labelle slowly woke up. "Morning, sis," she yawned. "What time is it?"

"We have a couple minutes until opening. Are you going to work today?"

"Yep. Give me one second to do my hair." Labelle walked over to the vanity they had sitting in one of the corners of the room.

"Alright. Just be ready by 10:00." Mabel put on her green gingham apron and joined Sable back on the store floor.

[Later at 11:30...]

After a morning of digging, tree shaking, and mayoring, Ross entered the Able Sisters store. "Hey, Sable. How are you?"

Sable looked up from her sewing. "Still doing fine. Thanks for asking."

"Any recommendations for me?"

"Well..."

Mabel decided to enter the conversation. "The forecast says there will be rain later today and most of tomorrow. You might want to be safe and buy an umbrella."

"Thanks, Mabel." Ross walked to the area where all of the umbrellas were on display. He picked up one that had a duck on all of its segments. "This'll work. Here you go, Mabel." He gave her the bells for the umbrella and then went into the accessories part of the store. Labelle was the first thing he noticed when he opened the door. Her hair was shorter than it usually was, but it was beautifully wavy and curly. When she turned towards Ross, it almost looked like glitter. He stared for a long while with his mouth slightly ajar.  
"Um... Wow, Labelle. Your hair looks... great!"

She blushed slightly. "Thanks. I'm glad you think so." On the inside, however, Labelle's head was spinning. 'Ahh! He complimented my hair!' She almost fainted from happiness, but she held firm. "Is there anything you want to buy today?"

"Hm." Ross browsed the area a little. Just like the jokester he is, Ross bought an umbrella hat. "Just some extra precaution." He pulled out his regular umbrella when he said this.

Labelle giggled a bit in a way that made Ross blush a bit. Mabel saw this development happen. "Hmm... I don't know how I feel about this." Ross said bye to Labelle and made his way back home. "Label, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure. What about?" Labelle smoothed out her hair spikes a bit.

"Well, this is about Ross."

"Oh. You haven't fallen for him too, did you?"

"Hahahaha. No. It's just... seeing you swooning like you do over him kinda makes me sick. Ross is a good person, but you seem kind of obsessed."

"I am not obsessed! What even gave you that idea?"

"The fact that you changed your hairstyle completely when you haven't in years says some things. You also seem incredibly fidgety around him and you start blushing for no reason. I have good reason for thinking you're obsessed."

Labelle began to crack a bit. "Well, I do like Ross. I really do."

"Well don't beat yourself up about it. Do you want me to help you?"

"Would you?" Labelle's eyes began to sparkle desperately.

"Sure. I will say that you acted very professional around him today. Though, I felt like you were gonna lose it before long."

"I feel like fainting right now." Labelle's legs wobbled slightly.

"And there's your problem. You're too anxious around him and you let his 'awesome presence' get to you. You need to get to a point where he could ask you out on a date and the worst thing you would do is blush a lot."

"A... date?" Labelle's face turned a hot red and seemed to be steaming. Her eyes became dizzy swirls and she was losing her balance.

Mabel shook her sister back to consciousness. "Get a hold of yourself! Why do you freak out so much about this kind of thing?"

"Well when I was training to become a fashion, Gracie didn't give me much free time (A/N: If you don't know who Gracie is, look it up. Short answer is essentially Labelle's old boss from the City Folk days). I never had time to date or be asked on a date or even like a guy. This is a new thing for me."

"That would explain it. As the town was changing, different guys would move in and a lot of them tried to hit on us." Mabel suddenly chuckled. "You're like the exact opposite of Sable. When you try to open up to people, you just keep adding more and more locks yourself. You have no experience."

"Well, what do you want me to do?"

"What else? Get some experience. Start by actually trying to get to know Ross. Strike up a conversation without fainting and you'll be on the right track." Mabel gave Labelle a thumbs up. "You'll be fine."

"Thanks, sis." Labelle regained her composure and went back to work. During her time off, she went back to Shampoodle to get her hair set back to its usual straightness. The rest of the day passed by uneventfully.

[The next day...]

Ross' came back into the store around the usual time after his sewing lesson with Sable (he made a stuffed ball which Sable now uses as a pincushion). After buying a red-striped tee and greeting Sable, he went into the accessories portion of the store. Labelle's hair was back to normal but she was wearing an orange gingham hair bow. She also seemed to be a lot cheerier than normal. "Hi, Ross. How are you today?" She almost glowed with positivity.

"I'm doing fine. Thanks for asking." Ross looked back at the store displays and saw a pair of headphones. He instantly fell in love. "I want these."

"Great!" Labelle sold him the headphones and asked, "Anything else?"

"No. I think I'm good for right now." He started heading towards the door.

'Now's my chance!' Labelle quickly thought. "How have things been going with you recently?"

"Oh. Uh. So far, everything has been fine. Trying to get a campsite set up for the town. Why?"

"I just... wanted to make sure that nothing was bothering you." Labelle came up with another way to keep the conversation going. "How's your sister?"

"My sister? She applied for a job recently. I guess she got bored of sitting around the house after a while. Probably. What's going on with you?"

"You don't really need me to tell you that."

"Selling accessories for the most part?"

"Yup."

"Alright then." Ross walked a bit closer to Labelle. "How about during your break, we go down to Brewster's and have some coffee? Sound good?"

Labelle almost lost it. "I would love t- I mean. Yeah, that sounds just fine."

"Alright then. See you then." Ross exited the store with his new headphones and went back home.

Mabel came in right after Ross left. "Congratulations. Your first time being with a guy. How do you feel?"

Labelle began to steam with embarrassment. Her face turned bright red and she began to wobble. "G-Great."

Mabel took Labelle's arm and put it over her shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll get used to it. I'll even let you take an hour and a half for your break. Go nuts."

"Thanks, Mabel."

[Later at 1:00 p.m...]

Labelle left the store with the same clothes she normally wears but replaced the bow with a similarly patterned scarf. Ross was right outside wearing his blue down jacket and his cargo pants. It was raining by that time, so he brought his umbrella from yesterday. "Hey, Labelle. How's it going?"

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking." Labelle wrapped the scarf around her a bit more. "It's getting cold out. The store is always a good temperature so I never noticed."

"Yeah." They began walking to The Roost (A/N: What I called Brewster's all this time). "Late fall, though, is probably my favorite time of year."

"Why is that?"

"The bees start dying. I really don't like bees. They put me on edge."

"Really?" Labelle was legitimately surprised.

"Yep." Ross noticed that Labelle was getting a bit wet on her right shoulder. He pulled her closer so that she was completely under the umbrella. "Is that better?"

Labelle buried her cheeks in her scarf and turned away slightly. "T-Thanks."

Once they finally reached The Roost, Ross took down his umbrella and put it in the bucket inside the front door. "Hey, Brewster. How're you doing?"

"... Good... coo" (A/N: Brewster is a pigeon, but the coolest pigeon ever). "...What would you like?"

"Two milk and two sugars. The usual." Ross turned towards Labelle. "What about you?"

"Just black, please" (A/N: None of the Able sisters have a canon favorite coffee).

"... Okay." Brewster began making the coffees and after only a minute, he had both ready. "Here you go... coo..."

Ross and Labelle both drank happily. It knocked the chill off their bones and made them both sigh. Labelle had the first word. "I haven't enjoyed a coffee like this for a while. It feels nice to just sit and drink."

"It always is." Ross turned back towards Brewster. "How much do I owe you?"

"... No charge. Tips are appreciated... coo." His glasses wiggled like if he had winked.

"Thanks." Ross took out 500 bells and tipped Brewster. "Bye." He faced Labelle again. "You ready?"

"Yes. Thank you." They both exited the caf while it was still raining with the umbrella. Labelle still had her coffee. "Thanks for taking me out today. I appreciated it." Her scarf wasn't as far up her face as it was.

"No problem. I enjoyed it too." That comment made Labelle's cheeks rosy. "Looks like it's back to work for both of us now, though."

Labelle nodded. "Did your sister get the job yet?"

"No. She's going to go for an interview tomorrow. She feels confident and I also feel confident for her. You seem real interested in my sister."

"N-No. I was just interested in... how... things have been going recently." Labelle composed herself again. "Will you be lonely once your sister starts going away for the day?"

"Not particularly. I have you, Sable, Mabel, and Isabelle to keep me company. I feel like we've had some good times so far." Ross gave her a sincere smile.

Labelle began to blush a bit. "That's nice."

They made the rest of the trip back in silence. Ross dropped Labelle off in the accessories department around 1:30 p.m. He was getting ready to leave. "Alright. I'll see you later, Labelle."

Labelle got a bit antsy. "Wait."

"Hm?"

Labelle walked up to Ross a gave him a hug. "Thanks for spending time me." She hugged him a bit tighter. "It means a lot."

Ross was a bit surprised. "Sure. No problem." He patted her spikes a bit and eventually Labelle let go. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

"Yep. See you tomorrow." As soon as Ross was out of sight and she closed the door, her legs became jelly. She could almost not get back to her post. Once back at the register, she leaned on the counter and began to look into space. Mabel walked in on her after this.

"Hey, sis. How'd it go?" She then took note of her sighing and the dreamy look in her eyes. "I take it that you enjoyed it?"

Labelle nodded. "I don't think I've ever been happier than right now. I think I've completely fallen for him now."

"That's cool. What did you guys do?"

"We went over to The Roost and had coffee. Then once we got back here, I... hugged him." Labelle swooned a bit.

"Well, congratulations. You're finally starting to get a hang of this whole 'in love with guys' thing. I'm proud of you." Mabel patted Labelle's back. "Well, now it's time to get back to work. Don't shirk you hear me?"

"Mm-hmm." Labelle was completely satisfied with her day. She had finally gained the confidence to speak with Ross face-to-face and have a good time. It was back to the grind for her.

The next day came by quickly with a surprise in store for everyone. 


End file.
